1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved method of washing laundry, as well as to improvements in pass-through washing machines.
2. Prior Art
Pass-through washing machines are known: one such is described in German Pat. No. A 29 49 228. This washing machine has a washing tube which is rotatable about its longitudinal axis. This washing tube is divided into washing chambers which are separated from each other during the washing process according to batches. The chambers are connected with pipes which can be blocked by valves in such a manner that a counter flow of liquid is achieved to transfer the laundry. The possibility of feeding this counter current not only into the immediately preceding chamber, but also to skip individual chambers, makes it possible to wash various types of laundry by specific stages. This type of washing machine requires ten chambers for the laundry, namely, two for the soaking zone, for example as many as five washing chambers associated with the washing zone and three chambers for carrying out three rinses.
Aside from the fact that in this embodiment a double drum machine is described, the expense can be recognized here, as well, which is necessary in order to separate the chambers from each other by batch and also to form passages in the unavoidable separating walls in order to transport the laundry by cycle from one chamber into the next.
A decrease in the number of chambers, however, is possible with the pass-through washing machine according to German Pat. No. A 29 00 467, namely, two chambers for the pre-wash or soaking zone, three chambers for the washing zone and two for the rinsing zone. A last chamber is intended as a finishing zone; accordingly, eight chambers are necessary at most, and if the finishing, which is not necessary for all laundry, is performed outside of the washing tube, seven chambers are sufficient for this washing machine. In each chamber the liquid mixture is specially adjusted to the respective requirements, in that the liquid is pumped away and led either into an intermediate container or directly into the subsequent chamber. In this manner the liquid mixture can be used more than once with the same wash, can flow or proceed with the wash and with different washes it can be held in storage. Since this can only be realized with a double drum machine, in which each chamber is provided in its own housing with its own drive for the chamber, the expense of material and working time to construct such a pass-through washing machine is great.
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a solution for the above-described problem, with which the number of chambers can be significantly reduced, without having to alter the washing process, in order to be able to build a pass-through washing machine requiring significantly less material and thus also decreasing the working time necessary for construction.